


If You’re Good, You Get a Sticker!

by ty_schuyler



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 11:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20674874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ty_schuyler/pseuds/ty_schuyler
Summary: Sam takes a trip off a roof, but Dean is always there to catch him when he falls. Even if Sam hits the ground anyway.





	If You’re Good, You Get a Sticker!

**Author's Note:**

> If this doesn’t make sense that it takes place after 7.03 (the one where Sam and Dean are in Rufus’ cabin with Bobby for a few weeks) then I’m sorry, but it’s been awhile since I’ve watched season 7 and I barely have time to write lately, let alone rewatch some stuff xP

Sam couldn’t remember hitting the floorboards.

His head exploded with fire, maybe his vision whited out for a second but he had to force himself up. 

Through the torrents of rain Sam caught a glimpse of Dean in the distance, the six year old victim in his arms as he climbed down the side of the church roof. He was safe.

That was the only thought Sam could afford before he rolled over and splinters exploded around him. He jumped to his aching knees in time for the shadow to black out his vision.  
Shit.

He gasped and the force of the creature knocked him backwards. Sam smashed through the guardrail and time slowed.

Sam tried to regain balance but slipped on the drenched scaffolding - arms flailing blindly to grasp nothing but air, yet no air would fill his screaming lungs. Wind whooshed past Sam’s ears, soon replaced with thunder booming overhead that shocked Sam back into reality.

The world resumed in time for Sam to fall.

“SAM!”

|~|

“You’re gonna be okay, kid.” Dean assured, wrapping the worn blanket from the trunk around her shoulders. They were both drenched but she needed it more.

She finally looked up at him through tear stained eyes, and the resemblance to Sam’s hit Dean like a truck. He flashed her a smile as he ducked out of the impala. “I’ll go get my brother and we’ll all head back together, gimme a minute.”

She huddled into the blanket like Sam would’ve as a kid, and it broke Dean’s heart to remember. They had to get her back as soon as possible, what was taking him so long?

It took Dean a few seconds to scan the precarious scaffolding and his eyes stopped on the guardrail, right at the top.

A figure smashed through the rail. Dean’s heart dropped as he topped over the edge. 

“SAM!!”

His voice didn’t carry well over the howling storm overhead, and Dean was running before Sam had disappeared into the trees below.

Dean bolted through the muddy grass with his heart in his throat. He should never have let Sam face the damn thing alone. They didn’t even know what it was! 

Sam could’ve been anywhere amongst thick foliage and trees surrounding the building, and every time Dean shoved one branch back another three would be revealed. He didn’t dare look up again - just kept forcing himself through.

“SAMMY?!”

He didn’t want to know how many stories high that stupid church building was. The branches were beginning to give him some room, fucking finally, and Dean made out a dark shape fly across his vision before he had even registered it.

“SAM!”

It was up the tree like a damn freak of nature. Too small to be Sammy. The monster?

It had vanished as soon as it had appeared, leaving Dean gawking up into the trees after it.  
If that had been the fucker responsible for where Sam was, he wanted a chance to beat the crap out of it.

“Mmn...”

Then Dean‘s eyes snapped forward and he caught sight of his brother sprawled out in the grass, weird black shapes forgotten.

“Oh god-“

Sam wasn’t moving, twigs littering his dark jacket that Dean swiped off as he shook the poor son of a bitch. He patted Sam’s ice cold cheek but his eyes stayed closed.

“Sammy?! Sam, c’mon!”

The man flinched, a pained expression breaking out on his features. Dean sighed in relief, pushing soaked brown stands from Sam’s eyes as they flickered.

“Nn...”

“Hold on tiger, lets get you up-!”

Dean lugged Sam up so that he was sat against Dean’s chest, face creased into a frown that made him look years younger. Like this was one of the first hunts with Dad and Sam was dazed and confused and reaching for Dean.

“Dean...?”

His tone was broken enough that Dean squeezed him a little tighter, taking one of Sam’s reaching hands in his own.

“Right here buddy.”

Sam’s harrowed breathing filled the silence as Dean lightly patted the man down for injuries, paranoia still whirring in the back of his mind. He hadn’t seen Sam that shaken up since Jessica, and at least he was aware for that. 

This Sam had vacant eyes.

“Ngh-!”

Dean’s hand froze on Sam’s calf.

“Busted leg?”

Sam only managed a nod, slumping his head into Dean with a soft thud.

“Listen, you need to stay the fuck awake right now, y’hear?” Dean insisted, trying to prise Sam’s head up with little results. His eyes were still slits and a mumbled reply left his lips, and Dean chose to take this as a good sign.

It was the only sign Sam had left him with.

Getting both of them up took most of Dean’s strength and the hobble back to the impala was worse, Sam whimpering every time any weight slipped onto his leg - which was often since Dean couldn’t hoist him up well due to the height advantage Sam had.

“Little brother my ass-“

Sam fell into the side of the impala and scrabbled to keep himself upright, meanwhile Dean got the passenger side door open. At least Sam could keep himself steady for the most part.

“That man’s hurt!”

The girl huddled in the backseats gawked up at Sam, probably scared shitless of the skyscraper of a man hunched over the window next to her. Dean ushered Sam up front.

“He’ll be fine, just took a trip off the roof.” Dean said, failing to follow through with smiling. 

He folded Sam into the passenger seat and the man collapsed into it like a puppet with its strings cut. “We’ll get him to some doctors and they’ll patch him right up.”

Nothing else was said as Dean floored the gas, speeding out onto the highway. Sam’s shallow breathing and the accelerator revving filled the night air, and Dean tried to stop stealing glances at his unresponsive brother.  
They would get him help. They had to.

“Are you scared?”

The small voice from the backseats jumped Dean from his thoughts. Through the rear view mirror two hazel eyes met his own.

“It’s okay, my sister got scared when I was sick too.” The little girl assured. “She kept saying sorry, but I don’t know why. She didn’t make me sick!”

Dean’s hands tightened on the wheel, eyes stinging. Now was not the time for hysterics. Instead he took a breath of composure, and reminded himself they were only five minutes out.

“Well, siblings protect each other.” Dean told her with a sad smile. “I can’t protect Sammy from everything, but when he gets hurt it always feels like my fault.”

Silence followed. Dean wasn’t sure why he was pouring his heart out to a six year old, but her thoughtful expression kept him going.  
“Your sister just wanted you to know that she cares, even if she can’t protect you from everything.”

At that point Dean had to look at his brother, eyes closed to the world with his tall frame sunken into the seat. There was no doubt in his mind that Dean had to protect Sam. Shit that bad could not happen again once he was better. Because he would get better. He had to.

“You’re sad.” The girl said, and Dean backhanded the tears from his cheeks. “It’s okay! The doctors at the hospital can help, and they’re really nice too!”

“Really?” Dean almost laughed.

“Yeah! They gave me a sticker and everything!”

Dean took a shaky breath and braced himself as he pulled into the ambulance bay. 

“After all this is over, I could use a sticker or two.”

|~|

When Sam started stirring Dean jumped to attention, scooting his chair closer to the bed.  
He’d twitched a few times over the last couple hours but this was different, soft murmurs and fluttering eyelids evoking a quiet tone from Dean.

“You in there Sammy?”

In response two dimmed eyes blinked up at Dean, sleep still present as Sam made sluggish movements.

“Mmhm...”

“Good to hear.” Dean sighed with a smile he just couldn’t keep off his face. “Thought for sure you’d gone brain dead on me.”

A breathless chuckle was the reply, and as Dean brushed askew strands from Sam’s eyes - the younger brother frowned, squinting.

“How’d we... Are we at Rufus’ cabin?”

“Moved you here as soon as that kid’s sister showed up at the hospital.” Dean explained, the reunion still fresh in his mind. “You should’ve seen Bobby’s face when he opened the door - he must’ve thought you’d croaked or something.”

Sam seemed to ponder this, in the dumb nerdy way he did with most things. The orange afternoon sun filtering in through the curtains took up most of Dean’s attention as his thoughts got lost for awhile, and the safety of it all was an unusual comfort. 

Bobby’s was the most secure place for Dean, but the place had blown sky high, so Rufus’ cabin was the only place they could go. Even if it was unrealistic, in Dean’s mind nothing could’ve touch him or his brother in those four walls of Bobby’s. It would’ve made sense to take Sam there after failing to protect him.  
If Dean couldn’t the house could’ve.

But the cabin would have to do.

“Still didn’t... get a good look at the thing.” Sam said between heavy breaths. He still looked under the weather, even after all the resting.

“What?”

“The thing... on the roof...” Sam reiterated, still frowning like he was deep in thought - even if his head drooped. “‘Was black... n’ fast...”

“Well we’ve got plenty of time to figure it out, you aren’t moving on that busted leg for a week tops.” Dean said, though Sam looked to have barely heard him.

“Is that... Spanish...?”

Dean turned to the small cable TV in the corner, where Sam’s gaze was fixed. A Spanish husband and wife were having a heated argument.

“Yeah, this show’s intense.” Dean laughed. “Watched most of it when my leg got busted, remember?”

Sam let out a deflated chuckle. “How could I forget... you were swearing in Spanish for weeks...”

Dean smirked, the grainy telenovela piquing his interest as it had all those months ago. This was a new episode and he wasn’t about to miss it.

“Well, prepare for some more español.” Dean turned up the TV, snickering as Sam rolled his eyes. 

They were okay. Despite everything, they were still okay. Demons and freaky creatures and trips of church roofs aside, the two of them could rest up for a little while - have some fun times like they used to at Bobby’s.

“Why is there a sticker on my jacket?” Sam turned to Dean, weakly motioning to the small rainbow coloured dog sticker that read ‘I was brave today!’. “Dean?”

Dean smiled.

|~|


End file.
